Rosenborg outplayed the Spanish giant - who earlier this fall had won all away games both in the Champions League and La Liga. Ignoring the attempts from Valencia at the end, RBK owned the game in a match that can be compared to some of RBK's greatest games in the nineties.
An unusual 4-4-2 formation, with none of RBK's trademark flank attackers, was a contributing factor to this win. Alexander Tettey and Marek Sapara played in a diamond shaped midfield with Per Ciljan Skjelbred and Abdou Traore on the outside. Especially Skjelbred impressed everyone with incredible movements - many with the ball, and he contantly enabled attackers Yssouf Kone and Steffen Iversen.
"We tried a new formation we had never done before. That surprised them, since they thought we would be playing a defensive 4-5-1. Today we got to use Sapara in a different role, where he kept the ball while we followed him," Vidar Riseth explained.
Riseth was back in the central defence, paired with Bj�rn Tore Kvarme who played instead of Christer Basma. The newly composed duo excelled together with the backs Roar Strand and Micke Dorsin. The quartet gave their team mates the stability and security the needed.
Rosenborg dominated in their offensive play, and pressured Valencia to conceding six corners before half time. Unfortunately, they were not properly taken care of.
"They became increasingly frustrated while we played our way towards their goal by one-two's. Even though we did not get a goal, I felt we were in control of it all - especially defensively. We stepped on Morientes' heels all the time. Just to let him know we were there," Riseth grinned.
Eight minutes into the second half the goal came: Dorsin outwitted a throng of Spanish national team players, and ran like a trooper before passing to Kone. The aforementioned first hit a defender, but the second attempt went past Santiago Canizares even though he got his foot on the shot.
Vidar Riseth doubled the lead right after with a header, following a corner from Sapara. Iversen could have scored a third goal, but hit the keeper.
Valencia took over the last fifteen minutes. Frustrated Spaniards struggled with RBK's defense, and did not get closer to a goal than a header.
This was Rosenborg's first victory in the Champions League at home since the 2-0 win against Celtic in October 2001. Knut T�rum was happy to celebrate his greatest accomplishment as coach, but tomorrow it might all be over.
"I don't know, But if that were to be the case, it is a nice game to finish after. Quitting while on top, isn't that an expression," T�rum said bravely.
Match statistics
ROSENBORG
2-0
Valencia
Yssouf Kone 53
Vidar Riseth 61
Wednesday 24. October 2007 20:45 Champions League, Lerkendal stadion
21 119 attendants
Rosenborg [4-4-2] Lars Hirschfeld - Roar Strand (Fredrik Stoor 86), Bj�rn Tore Kvarme, Vidar Riseth, Mikael Dorsin - Per Ciljan Skjelbred, Marek Sapara, Alexander Tettey, Abdou Razack Traore - Yssouf Kone (�yvind Storflor 80), Steffen Iversen
Yellow cards RBK: Abdou Razack Traore, Roar Strand and Alexander Tettey
